The present invention is directed to hunting aids, and in particular, to a combination drag and hook device for transporting and hanging animals that have been obtained through hunting, and a cutting device designed to remove the anal tract of an animal as part of field dressing the animal.
Two vital steps in hunting are moving the animal once it has been downed and properly field dressing the animal.
It is imperative that the animal is properly field dressed or the meat of the animal can be spoiled. For example, if a hunter would pierce the animal""s bladder while removing the rectum, fluid from the bladder would foul the meat and make the animal unfit for human consumption.
In addition and in most instances, the animal must be dragged from the site where it has been downed and hung vertically. Typically, hunters use one device to drag the animal, and a second device to hang the animal up.
In both of these instances, improved hunting aids are needed to avoid accidental bladder piercing, and make it easier to both drag and hang an animal.
The present invention solves both of these problems by providing an improved cutting device for field dressing and a combination dragging and hanging device.
It is a first object of the present invention to provide an improved hanging and dragging device for animals downed by hunting.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved cutting device for field dressing animals, particularly one designed to remove the anal tract or rectum and the bladder of an animal.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as a description thereof proceeds.
The hanging and dragging device comprises a handle having a pair of opposing free ends, wherein the handle has means for supporting the handle such as a loop or other surface. A pair of removable hooks are attached to each free end of the handle, with the hooks being adapted to hook to an animal so that the animal can be hung via the handle. A flexible member is provided that extends from each free end of the handle. Each flexible member terminates in a hook for attaching to a portion of an animal to allow the animal to be dragged using the handle.
Each flexible member can be removably attached to each respective free end. Each removable hook can be rotated between a hooking position wherein a hook end faces upward for hanging, and a dragging position wherein the hook end faces downward to allow the hook end to be gripped for dragging. A removable pin can be employed to retain each removable hook in a portion of the handle and to permit hook rotation.
In one embodiment, each free end can have a coupler with an opening to receive an attachment end of the removable hook. Each removable hook can then be retained in the opening by the pin extending through the opening in the coupler and an opening in the attachment end of the hook. The coupler can be either an integral part of the handle or is attached thereto.
Each free end can have an eye opening to receive a portion of the flexible member, and the handle can also employ an eye opening for its support.
The invention also entails a method of dragging and hanging an animal comprising providing a handle having a pair of rotatable hooks on opposing free ends thereof. After an animal has been hunt down, the animal is linked to one or both of the free ends. The free hook or hooks are positioned with a concave part of each hook to be grabbed by a user for dragging the animal. Once the animal is dragged to the selected site, the handle is supported off the ground, and the hooks are rotated so that one free end thereof can be used to hang the animal. The handle can be supported using an eye on the handle and cables can be used to link the animal to the handle for dragging. In a preferred embodiment, cables with hooks at each end are used to link the animal to the free ends of the handle for dragging.